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Beazer has a few things right, and a few things wrong. It certainly does take somebody very dedicated to become a herpetologist as there really are very few jobs in the private sector, and in the academic sector there simply isn't the funding for "herpetology" related science. For example, I currently am in Canada where I'd say 90% of science funding goes towards fish and aquaculture related science. Doesn't really matter what the subject is, fish seem to get a lot of funding as it is a very economic related field to this country. Amphibian decline research is beginning to get a little more funding now that it is a public awareness issue. But reptiles, very few people looking into them here for whatever field.
As for people getting into herpetology just to discover new species/naming stuff, that's kind of hogwash. There are people that do, and frankly, they are usually looking around areas that seriously NEED better species inventory (southeast asia and south america). The zoological nomenclature rules currently forbid naming stuff after their discoverers. However, these are some of the areas where funding can be acquired. Getting funding is a politics game, and if you want to keep doing research, you have to play the game. My own personal interests lie in the ecological physiology of reptiles and amphibians, particularly during times of duress, however I find the best way to get funding is to associate with a lab that is well supported in some other way and try to tie my research in with the lab's.
I see lots of young people thinking that herpetology is the way to go because they grew up watching Steve Irwin. That guy wasn't about herpetology, he was about tormenting animals for ratings. He did raise awareness of conservation of some animals to some people, but he also created a very false image of herpetologists being the "Indiana Jones" of zoologists. David Attenborough would be a much better role model. Don't get me wrong, I've had my moments of excitement, but herpetology is about being dedicated and, frankly, broke.

<blockquote data-quote="tupinambis" data-source="post: 24437" data-attributes="member: 57">Beazer has a few things right, and a few things wrong.&nbsp; It certainly does take somebody very dedicated to become a herpetologist as there really are very few jobs in the private sector, and in the academic sector there simply isn't the funding for &quot;herpetology&quot; related science.&nbsp; For example, I currently am in Canada where I'd say 90% of science funding goes towards fish and aquaculture related science.&nbsp; Doesn't really matter what the subject is, fish seem to get a lot of funding as it is a very economic related field to this country.&nbsp; Amphibian decline research is beginning to get a little more funding now that it is a public awareness issue.&nbsp; But reptiles, very few people looking into them here for whatever field.As for people getting into herpetology just to discover new species/naming stuff, that's kind of hogwash.&nbsp; There are people that do, and frankly, they are usually looking around areas that seriously NEED better species inventory (southeast asia and south america).&nbsp; The zoological nomenclature rules currently forbid naming stuff after their discoverers.&nbsp; However, these are some of the areas where funding can be acquired.&nbsp; Getting funding is a politics game, and if you want to keep doing research, you have to play the game.&nbsp; My own personal interests lie in the ecological physiology of reptiles and amphibians, particularly during times of duress, however I find the best way to get funding is to associate with a lab that is well supported in some other way and try to tie my research in with the lab's.I see lots of young people thinking that herpetology is the way to go because they grew up watching Steve Irwin.&nbsp; That guy wasn't about herpetology, he was about tormenting animals for ratings.&nbsp; He did raise awareness of conservation of some animals to some people, but he also created a very false image of herpetologists being the &quot;Indiana Jones&quot; of zoologists.&nbsp; David Attenborough would be a much better role model.&nbsp; Don't get me wrong, I've had my moments of excitement, but herpetology is about being dedicated and, frankly, broke.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="tupinambis, post: 24437, member: 57"] Beazer has a few things right, and a few things wrong. It certainly does take somebody very dedicated to become a herpetologist as there really are very few jobs in the private sector, and in the academic sector there simply isn't the funding for "herpetology" related science. For example, I currently am in Canada where I'd say 90% of science funding goes towards fish and aquaculture related science. Doesn't really matter what the subject is, fish seem to get a lot of funding as it is a very economic related field to this country. Amphibian decline research is beginning to get a little more funding now that it is a public awareness issue. But reptiles, very few people looking into them here for whatever field. As for people getting into herpetology just to discover new species/naming stuff, that's kind of hogwash. There are people that do, and frankly, they are usually looking around areas that seriously NEED better species inventory (southeast asia and south america). The zoological nomenclature rules currently forbid naming stuff after their discoverers. However, these are some of the areas where funding can be acquired. Getting funding is a politics game, and if you want to keep doing research, you have to play the game. My own personal interests lie in the ecological physiology of reptiles and amphibians, particularly during times of duress, however I find the best way to get funding is to associate with a lab that is well supported in some other way and try to tie my research in with the lab's. I see lots of young people thinking that herpetology is the way to go because they grew up watching Steve Irwin. That guy wasn't about herpetology, he was about tormenting animals for ratings. He did raise awareness of conservation of some animals to some people, but he also created a very false image of herpetologists being the "Indiana Jones" of zoologists. David Attenborough would be a much better role model. Don't get me wrong, I've had my moments of excitement, but herpetology is about being dedicated and, frankly, broke. [/QUOTE]

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